Automatic counter and stop device.



-P. HANSON.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STOP DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1912. A

Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

xii/ 3 I P. HANSON. AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STOP DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED MN 12 I912 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Pafented July 27, 1915.

P. HANSON.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STOP DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 12. 1912.

LMK798D Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

"PAUL HANSON, OF WILD HORSE, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC! COUNTER AND STOP DEVICE.

mamas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a rein.

Application filed January 12, 1912. Serial No. 670,71d.

. To all whom it may concern:

zen of the United States, residing at Wild Horse, in the county of Cheyenne and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Counter and Stop Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in counters for use in connection with a revoluble or reciprocable member whereby at the end of a predetermined number of movements of said member, a driving member is' adapted to be disconnected from said movable member and to automatically disconnect the latter.

The primary object in my invention is the production of a simple, inexpensive and effective device which will not get out of working order under rough usage and which can be easily attached to machinery.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, a detail of the revoluble member being shown and a shifting lever for a clutch illustrated in section; Fig. 2 is a plan of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, a detail of "the revoluble element not being shown; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention showing the pitman in superior position and the dog supported out of engagement with the ratchet wheelwhen the counter is out of operation; Fig. 4: is a plan of the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the pitman being shown in section and its spring removed; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a detail illustrating the construction employed in mounting the ratchet wheel and head frame of my invention; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a churn showing my invention applied thereto for use; Fig. 7 is an end view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an alternative construction of my invention; Fig. 9 is a plan of the construction illustrated in Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 is an end view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 8, the rackebar being shown in section and the trip lever, dog and actuating spring removed.

For convenience in describing my invention and its application in use, I have shown the same applied to a churn as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '2' but it is to be understood that the invention may be used with any device wherein .it is desirable to disconnect the driven element from the driving element after a predetermined number of revolutions of the revoluble member.

In the drawings A represents a revoluble receptacle suitably journaled at 2 in the main supporting frame B, said receptacle being adapted to be revolved by the driving shaft 3 which carries the driving member 4 of a friction clutch-. 5 represents the driven member of said clutch which is carried by a-sleeve 6 journaled on the shaft 3, said sleeve in turn carrying a driving pinion 7, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the main gear 8 mounted on the receptacle A. It is to be understood that it is immaterial how this driving mechanism is constructed, it forming no novel feature of my invention. The clutch too may be replaced by tight and loose beltpulleys.

C represents my improved counter which is mounted upon the frame B and adapted to operate the lever 9 to slide the driven member 5 of the clutch into and out of operative connection with the driving member 4. The lever mentipned is pivoted between its ends'by bolt 10 (see Fig. '2) passing through said lever and a bracket 11, said bracket being secured on the frame B. The work end of said lever is bifurcated, its arms forming a yoke 12 spanning the sleeve 6 and pivotally connected thereto ,by studs 13 (see Fig. 6) carried by the arms of the yoke and projecting freely into a circumferential slot 14in the sleeve 6, this construction being obviously ordinary for the purpose of causing the clutch to operate in the usual manner.

My improved counter consists of a ratchet wheel 15'the teeth 16 of which are adapted to be engaged by the dog 17 and the wheel movedforward, a tooth at a time each revolution of the receptacle A. Ihe ratchet wheel 15 is freely journaled upon a collar 18, (see Fig. 5) said collar in turn being mounted upon a bolt 19 which is secured in an arm 20 of the bracket 11. A head frame D is also supported by the bolt 19, said frame being flanged'at 21 to form -a channel in which the arm 20 is seated,

said bolt 19 passing through the head frame and the arm 20 to clamp the parts together and rigidly support the head frame above the ratchet wheel.

. Above the lower end of the head frame which is secured to the bracket 11, a rocker arm 22 is pivoted between its ends upon a bolt 23 which is secured in the head frame. The upper end of this rocker arm is positioned in the path of the tripping shoulder 24 which is carried upon the end of the reeeptacle A so that during each revolution of the receptacle the rocker arm is caused to be tripped by the shoulder 24 sweeping over the free end 25 of said arm. The lower end of the rocker arm is pivotally attached by means of a bolt 26 to the dog 17. The shoulder 27 of said dog engages a tooth on the ratchet wheel and draws the ratchet wheel forward a step at a time each revolution of the receptacle. The shoulder 27 is beveled back at 28 so as to sweep over the teeth during backward movement of the dog and the dog 17 is held down against the teeth by,a spring 29. The free end of the rocker arm 22 is pressed forward to hold the same in the path of the trip shoulder 24 by means of an expansion spring 30 interposed between the end 25 ofthe rocker arm and the shoulder 31 formed on the head frame, points 32 being formed on the arm 25 and the shoulder 31 around which the ends of the spring 30 are seated and held. Forward movement of the arm 25 is limited normally by the lower end of rocker arm 22 impinging against a stop shoulder 33 on the head frame. Backward movement of the'ratchet wheel 15 is prevented by means of a pin 34 playing vertically in lugs 35 on the head frame and dropping by gravity back of a tooth while the-ratchet wheel is stationary or moving forward a step. A split key 36 passing through the pin 34 between and spaced from the lugs 35 prevents the normal removal of the pin from its support. Forward movement .of the ratchet wheel raises the pin over the teeth until it. drops by gravity back of a tooth to prevent backward motion.

When it is desired to throw the counter out of operation the end 25 of the rocker arm may be moved back by handand the dog 17 raised into the receptacle 37 which is ormed by a curved flange'on the side of the head frame. The position which the parts assume being illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this manner the rocker arm is held out of the path of the tripping shoulder 24 and the dog is supported out of engagement with the teeth 16 on the ratchet wheel.

The free end 40 of the shifting lever 9 is positioned in the path of a pitman rod- 41 which extends diametrically from the ratchet wheel 15, said pitman rod being connected to the wheel by a pivot stud 42 and, a split key 43. The free end of the pitman rod rests normally upon the free end 40 of the shifting lever 9 and otherwise engages the shifting lever by means of collars 44 and 45 to swing the lever and throw the clutch into and out of operation. The collar or follower 45 slides freely upon the pitman rod, an actuating spring 46 being interposed on said rod between the collar 45 and a back stop in the form of a washer 47 which is held upon said rod by the pin 48 passing through one of the openings 49 in said rod. During the revolution of the churn after the ratchet wheel has been set for a predetermined number of revolutions according to the scale of numerals 50 marked opposite the teeth on said wheel, starting from zero, the ratchet wheel is moved forward, step by step each time the receptacle revolves carrying with it the pitman rod 41 and compressing the spring 46 while the collar 45 impinges against the shifting rod 40 until the desired number of revolutions have been made whereupon the pitman rod passes its dead center illustrated in Fig. 1, the spring 46 and the momentum of wheel 15 then causing the block 44 to engage the shifting rod 40 and release the clutch out of engagement, thus stopping the receptacle.

Stationary collar 44 is formed with a lug 51 on its side which engages back of the shoulder 27 on the dog 17 when the pitman rod 40 is raised into vertical or superior position as illustrated in Fig. 3, and assists in holding the pitman rod. The stop 52 formed on the head frame in the path of the pitman rod prevents said rod from moving in the other direction. The collars 44 and 45 are formed with downwardly converging shoulders 53 and 54 which serve to guide the pitman rod into engagement with the end 40 of the arm 9 and prevent disengagement of said parts when the device is in operation.

In use, for illustration, if it is desired that the receptacle shall revolve 10 revolutions and then stop, the ratchet wheel is turned by hand in the direction of the arrow illustrated in Fig. 1 until tooth No. 10(which in that event would be the starting point) is opposite the shoulder 27 of the dog 17 whereupon revolution of the receptacle causes the pitman rod upon passing dead center after the receptacle has revolved ten times to move ahead through the action of the spring 46 and to disengage theclutch,

thus stopping the receptacle. When numbering the teeth on the wheel the numbers are placed so that after allowance has been made for the clutch being released one point or tooth after dead center has been passed the zero tooth will be engaged by the dog 17. As shown in Fig. 1 the device is set to release the pitman rod 41 to effect the stopping of the churn after one revolution of the churn. The adjusting of the tension of the spring by selectively placing the stop 47 by inserting the fastening key 48 through one of the openings 49 in the rod 41 enables the setting of the device so that it can ratchet wheel 15 to be positively driven forward away from'dead center, thus moving the shifting rod 40 by collar 44 and positively releasing the clutch. While the pit man rod is moving toward dead center the constantly increasing compression of spring 46 holds the lever 9 and clutch set under increasing pressure until the dead center point of the pitman rod is passed. The releasing of the clutch is directly produced by the collar 44 impinging against lever 9. The

further revolution of the ratchet wheel after the spring 46 has partially relaxed causes the clutch to befurther positively separated out of connection by the collar 44 impinging against lever 40, the tension of spring 46 remaining substantially constant during this period. The openings 49 through the pitman rod 41 are longitudinally spaced apart to permit the stop 47 to be adjusted on said. rod in operative position, said openings being' adapted to receive'the fastening key 48 of said collar. By moving the stop up a step the restraining spring 46 is compressed and the strength developed for moving the shifting lever 9, made greater and more positive.

My invention is not. confined touse with 'the revoluble member shown which it is desired to stop at a predeterminednumber of revolutions it being applicable for stopping any movable member after a'predetermined number of movements thereof. My invention may be used when desired without the restraining spring 46 and its engaging members for shifting the lever 9. the stop 44 being allowed to drag over and into engagement with the lever 40 during the forward movement ofthe ratchet wheel and by the continued movement .of the ratchet wheel force the lever 40- forward positively thus shifting the clutch out of operation after a predetermined number-of movements.

In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive I have illustrated an alternative construction of my invention in which the dog 60 is reciprocated by means of a trip arm 61 and caused to engage and move the rack bar 62 forward by said dog engaging a tooth each time the trip shoulder 61 is reciprocated by the movable member. The rack bar receives the shifting lever 63 in a slot having free play therein until the movable member has made a predetermined number of movements whereupon the rack bar having been set accordingly, is adapted to push the lever and positively shift the clutch out of operation with which the lever is connected by the end of said slot impinging against the edge of the lever. Normally the dog 60 plays freely in the guide 64 in the rigid frame 65 but when it is desired to set the counter so that it will not operate the dog is lifted and placed with the shoulder 66 over the pin 67 on said frame in which position it is held out of engagement with the rack and with the trip shoulder 61, restrained out of the path of the movable member. The rack 62 slides in a gibway 68 but is retarded in its movements by the spring 69 pressing through the gib- Way against the lower surface of the rack. The spring 69 prevents the rack bar from slipping back while the dog 60 is engaging the succeeding tooth. The rack bar is adapted to be adjusted according to its scale 70 by engaging the lug 71 on its side, a spring 72 is employedtending to depress the dog into engagement with a tooth of the rack bar and also return the trip lever 61 in the path of the shoulder 73 on the movable member 74 after each tripping operation of the device. The set bolt 75 is also employed to regulate the throw of the trip lever 61 and the dog 60 which it carries.

In accordance with' the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with'the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but I desire to have it understood that the'. construction shown is only illustrative and'that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1 1. The combination with a revoluble 'driven element, of a driving element, a

driven elements, shifting means for throw ing said clutch into and out of operation, a ratchet wheel, means pivotally connected with said ratchet'wheel for reciprocating said shifting means, pivoted means adapted to move said ratchet wheel in one direction, a gravity pin for preventing reverse movement of said ratchet wheel, and a shoulder carried by said driven element to intermita revoluble driven element journaled on said frame, a driving element, means for throwing said driven element out of connection with'said driving element, said means having a shifting arm, a counter mounted on said frame having a ratchet wheel and stepping mechanism for said ratchet wheel adapted to be operated during the revolution of said revoluble element, a pitman rod journaled upon and adapted to be reciprocated by said wheel and extending toward said arm and a restraining element carried by said rod 'and'adapted to engage and hold said 'arm under pressure during the stepping forward of said ratchet wheel a pre determined number of steps and to, relax from said arm upon the completion of said steps and immediately after the journal point between said wheel and rod passes beyond dead center.

4. Apparatus of the class set forth comprising in combination, a supporting frame,- a revoluble driven element journaled on said frame, a driving element, means for throwing said driven and driving elements into and out of operation, said means having a shifting arm, a counter mounted on said frame having a ratchet wheel and stepping mechanism for said ratchet wheel adapted to be operated to move said wheel forward a step at a time each revolution of said revoluble element, a pitman rod journaled upon and adapted-to be reciprocated each time said wheel revolves, said rod extending toward said arm, a restraining'element carried by said rod and adapted to engage and hold one side of said arm under spring pressure while said ratchet wheel advances toward,

dead center a predetermined number of steps and to relax from said arm immediately after the journal point of said rod site side from said restraining element and adapted to positively move said arm after said journal point is moved pastsaid dead center.

5. Apparatus of the class set forth comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a revoluble driven element journaled on said frame, a driving element, a lever for throwing said driving and driven elements into and out of operation, said frame having a ratchet Wheel and stepping mechanism for said ratchet wheel adapted to be operated to move said wheel forward a step at a time each revolution of said revoluble element, a pitman rod journaled upon and adapted to be reciprocated-each time said wheel revolves, said rod extending toward said lever, a restrainin element carried by said rod on one side 0 said lever and a stop carried by said rod on the other side of said lever, said restraining element and stop hav-' ing downwardly converging shoulders adapted to freely embrace said lever to swing the same, said restraining element engaging one side of said lever under, pressure while said ratchet wheel is being stepped forward toward dead center a predetermined number of times and serving to assist inreleasing said lever immediately after the journal point of said rod passes dead center and said stop being adapted to positively move said lever after said journal point passes dead center.

6. A device of the type described comprising counter adapted to cooperate with a shifting lever for causing a driven element to cooperate with a driving element, comprising in combination, a supporting frame, a head frame mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel journaled on said head frame, a dog adapted to engage the teeth of said wheel to step the latter forwardly, a rocker arm journaled on said head frame, one end thereof being adapted to freely support said dog and its other end acting as a trip arm, a spring acting against said rocker arm to return said dog into rengagement with the teeth of said wheel, a stop engaging said.

laxed upon the completion of said stepsand.

upon the journal point of said wheel and pitman-rod passing over dead center.

7. The combination with a revoluble driven element, of a driving element, a clutch interposed between said driving and driven elements, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends, said arm being secured at one end to said clutch, a ratchet wheel, a pitman rod connected at one end to said ratchet wheel and operatively engaging the free end of said arm to alternately connect and disconnect said driving and driven elements, pivoted means adapted to move said ratchet wheel in one direction, a gravity pin for preventing reverse movement of said ratchet wheel, and a shoulder carried by said driven element to intermittently engage said pivoted means to cause a step-by-step movement of said ratchet wheel.

8. A device of the type described comprising counter having a ratchet wheel, and ratchet mechanism for stepping said wheel forwardly, a support, a head frame carried are-mes of said wheel at a point eccentric to the axis thereof and adapted to be reciprocated, a clutch shifting lever, means for detachably securing. said pitman rod to said lever, said rod being adapted to be turned into upright position on its journal when not in use, said detachable means having a lug in .the path of said ratchet mechanism and said head frame having a back stop formed thereon in the path of said rod, whereby said rod is adapted to be held in raised position between said stop and part of said stepping mechanism.

9. A device of the type described comprising counter having a. ratchet wheel, and ratchet mechanism for stepping said wheel forwardly, said ratchet mechanism having a rocker arm and a dog pivotally supported by the lower end of said rocker arm, its free end being adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel to step said wheel forwardly, said dog havinga shoulder adjacent its teeth engaging end, a head frame. on which said wheel and rocker arm are jour- .naled and formed with a forwardly projecting shoulder and flange, said flange forming a receptacle to receive and hold the free end of'said dog when the latter is raised out of engagement with the teeth of said wheel, a pitman rod journaled on the face of said wheel and adapted to be reciprocated each revolution of the wheel, a clutch shifting element and a restraining element and stop carried by said rod ing formed with a lug and said ,pitman rod when not in use being adapted to be raised into uprightv position against the stop on said head. frame' iand with said lug engaging back of the shoulder on said dog.

10. A device ofthe type described comprising counter having a ratchet Wheel, and ratchet mechanism for stepping said wheel forwardly, a head frame on which said wheel is journaled and said ratchet mechanism is mounted, said ratchet mechanism having a dog and said ratchet wheel a scale indicating the number of teeth thereen, a clutch shifting element, a pitman rod journaled on one of the faces of said wheel eccentric to the axis of the latter, restraining means carried by said rod and adapted to be compressed by engagement with the clutch shifting element during the forward movement of said wheel and adapted to assist in releasing said clutch shifting element after the journal between said wheel and rod passes over dead center, for the purpose specified.

11. A device of the type described. comprising counter having a ratchet wheel and ratchet mechanism for stepping said wheel forwardly, a head frame on which said wheel is journaled and said ratchet mechanism mounted, a clutch shifting lever a and adapted to engage said clutch shifting element, said stop be pitman rod journaled on and adapted to be reciprocated each revolution of said wheel, a restraining element mounted upon said rod and adapted to assist in releasing said lever after the journal of said rod passes over dead center, a second engagement longitudinally adjustable on said rod and adapt ed to positively engage said lever after said restraining element has passed over dead center and relaxed its energy and a pin passing into said rod to hold said restraining element in place, said rod having a series of openings to receive said pin, and said series being disposed longitudinally of the rod whereby said pin may be engaged with the rod to selectively position said restraining element on the rod.

7 12. The combination with a revoluble driven element, of a driving element, a clutch interposed between said drivingand driven elements, a pivoted arm secured at one end to said clutch, a ratchet Wheel, a pitman rod connected at one end to said ratchet wheel, a follower carried by said pitman rod adapted to engage the free end of said pivoted arm, for throwing said clutch into engagement, a stop carried by said pitman rod for throwing-said clutch out of engagement, pivoted means adapted to rotate said ratchet wheel, and means carried by said driven member to intermittently contact with said pivoted means for causing a step-by-step movement of said ratchet wheel.

13. The combination with a revoluble driven element,of a driving element, a clutch interposed between said driving and driven elements, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends, one end of said arm being secured to said clutch, a ratchet wheel, a pitman rod connected at one end to said ratchet wheel, a spring-pressed follower carried by said pitman rod engaging the free end of said pivoted arm for throwing said clutch into engagement, an adjustable stop carried by said pitman rod for throwing said clutch out of engagement, pivoted means adapted to 1'0- tate said ratchet wheel, and means carried by said driven member to intermittently contact with said pivoted means for causing a step-by-step movement of said ratchet wheel.

ll. The combination with a revoluble driven element, of a driving element, a clutch interposed between said driving and driven elements, shifting means for throwing said clutch into and out of engagement, a head frame, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in said frame, a pitman rod connected to said ratchet wheel and operatively engaging said shifting means, an arm piv oted intermediate its ends to said frame, a dog carried by said arm and engaging said ratchet wheel to move it in one direction, compression means co-acting with said arm to normally retain said dog in engagement with said ratchet wheel, and a projection on said driven member intermittently contacting with said arm to cause a step-bystep movement of said ratchet wheel.

15. The combination with a revoluble driven element, a driving element, a clutch interposed between said driving and driven elements, shifting means for throwing said clutch into and out of operation, a ratchet member, having a connection with said shifting means to means adapted to move said ratchet member, and a shoulder carried by said driven element to intermittently engage said pivoted means to cause a step-by-step movement of said ratchet member.

16. The combination with a revoluble reciprocate the same, pivoted driven element having a detachable driving element, of shifting means for connecting and disconnecting said driving and driven elements, a ratchet member having an operatin connection with said shifting means, pivote means adapted to move said ratchet member, and a shoulder carried by said driven element adapted to engage said pivoted means-t0 cause the movement of said ratchet member. v

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, vin the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

PAUL HANSON.

Witnesses:

CARL K. BENNETI, G. B. BnNNETr. 

